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Internet play-by-mail
With the rise of the Internet, postal gaming and postal games zines have largely
been replaced by e-mail and websites. Play by mail games differ from popular
online multiplayer games in that, for most computerized multiplayer games, the
players have to be online at the same time. With a play by mail game, the
players can play whenever they choose, since responses need not be immediate;
such games are sometimes called turn-based strategy games. Some computer games
can be played in a play by mail mode: one makes one's "move", mails a file to
the opponent who uses it to make his or her "move" in response, and he or she
then mails something back.
The first commercial play-by-email games offered by major online services were:
Quantum Space, designed and programmed by Don Daglow, on the QuantumLink,
PC-Link and AppleLink services (later unified and renamed AOL), (1989-1991). AOL
Founder Steve Case personally supported the project.
Rebel Space, designed by Daglow, Mark Buchignani, David Bunnett and Hudson Piehl,
which ran on Prodigy from 1992 to 1994.
Several non-commercial email games played on the Internet and BITNET predate
these.
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